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Florine's Fallout 4 VR

v1.3.0 • changelog • how to update

A thorough, beginner-friendly guide for a stable, vanilla-ish experience.

Motivation
Fallout 4 VR sucks quite badly for modern VR standards. Gameplay is lackluster; graphics, lighting, and performance are bad; and there's plenty of VR-only bugs in addition to the bugs in vanilla. As is typical with Bethesda games, you can fix most of that with a whole lot of mods. The modding scene for FO4VR has evolved a lot over time, and as a result not all tips and tricks you read online are still accurate.

This guide aims to be comprehensive and beginner-friendly. You can choose to follow it in its entirety, or pick and choose parts for your own list.

Goals
I describe what I did to get a stable, enjoyable, reasonable-looking game. Other resources, like GingasVR's excellent overhaul, are good, but too non-vanilla for my tastes. Meanwhile, my list only deviates from vanilla when I think there's a very good reason, like replacing VATS with bullet time because the former just isn't nice in VR.

Limitations
I did my best to make my guide universally applicable to all players. Still, there's a few limitations which you should keep in mind.

  • I didn't really focus on performance, because I have a powerful PC. However, I mostly avoided mods that negatively affect performance.
  • I personally run a Valve Index and use an AMD GPU. This is irrelevant for the vast majority of this guide, except when including external libraries.

Support
If you're experiencing in-game issues, check the issues and solutions.

If you don't understand something, experience in-game issues, have suggestions, or just need some help, check out the Discussions page or open an issue.

Tip

Use the hamburger menu (≡) in the top-right corner to easily navigate between sections.

Table of contents
1 How to read this guide | 2 Setup | 3 Configuration | 4 List of mods | 5 Playing the game | 6 Conclusion | 7 Acknowledgements

1 How to read this guide top ▲

This section deals with the basics: Why FO4VR modding is difficult (Section 1.1), how this guide deals with version numbers (Section 1.2), how to pick and choose mods from this guide (Section 1.3), and common abbreviations (Section 1.4).

1.1 About modding Fallout 4 VR up ▲

When I tried FO4VR without mods, I intensely disliked the experience, and decided I wanted to add mods. If you're used to modding Bethesda games, you'll know that it's usually probably fine to just throw a whole bunch of mods together, as long as you follow the authors' directions on what mods are incompatible. Unfortunately, that's not true for FO4VR. The VR version is missing several updates that were released only for the non-VR version, and as a result mods made for the non-VR version may use features that simply don't exist in the VR version. Using mods blindly will result in the game crashing regularly.

Overall, you should lower your expectations when modding FO4VR compared to non-VR FO4. The modding scene just isn't as advanced as that of Skyrim VR. You may find that your favourite mods just don't work very well in FO4VR, and when browsing mods you should always carefully consider whether the benefits outweigh the risks.

This modding guide describes the tradeoffs I made, leaning mostly towards the careful side.

1.2 About version numbers up ▲

Whenever I mention a tool or a mod, I will write down which version and variant I used. For example, I might write "F4SEVR (v0.6.20)" to mean that I downloaded version 0.6.20 of F4SEVR.

If the version I wrote down is still the latest version when you're reading this, then just use that version. If a newer version exists, and I don't explicitly mention you should download the version I mention, then you'll have to judge for yourself whether it's more likely the update will fix bugs or will add bugs.

1.3 About tags up ▲

Some choices I make are more vanilla than others, and some choices make sense for people who already played Fallout 4, but make no sense for first-time Fallout 4 players. Therefore, I will tag tools and mods to let you know what to expect. Here is a list of tags.
required Necessary to make the game worth it in VR. Install this.
recommended Good for all players. Install this, unless you seriously disagree.
optional Good, but personal preference. Install if you want.

1.4 Abbreviations up ▲

Abbreviation Meaning Example
FO4VR Fallout 4 VR
FO4AU Fallout 4: Automatron (the 1st DLC)
FO4FH Fallout 4: Far Harbor (the 3rd DLC)
FO4VW Fallout 4: Vault-Tec Workshop (the 5th DLC)
FO4NW Fallout 4: Nuka-World (the 6th DLC)
MO2 Mod Organizer 2
[fo4_dir] Where you installed non-VR FO4 C:\Steam\steamapps\common\Fallout 4\
[fo4vr_dir] Where you installed FO4VR C:\Steam\steamapps\common\Fallout 4 VR\
[username] Your Windows username florine

2 Setup top ▲

Before you can start modding FO4VR, you need to make sure you have a clean install (Section 2.1), have the right software installed (Section 2.2), and, if you want, added the DLC to FO4VR (Section 2.3).

2.1 Removing old files up ▲

Tip

If you haven't installed FO4VR yet, check the software requirements to learn the correct installation directory.

Note

If you have never installed FO4VR on your computer before, you can skip this section.

If you previously used other mods for FO4VR, make sure those are removed. If you used MO2, make you use a clean MO2 profile, preferably by creating a new profile. If you previously installed mods without a mod manager, make extra sure you completely remove all mods.

You can remove old files as follows.

  1. Delete the C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Local\Fallout4VR\ directory in its entirety. This contains old configuration files.
  2. The following apply only if you have already installed FO4VR:

    1. Delete the entire [fo4vr_dir] directory, but

      1. not [fo4vr_dir]\Data\Video\, and
      2. not files in [fo4vr_dir]\Data\ that start with Fallout4.

      If you cannot find [fo4vr_dir], check the abbreviations.

    2. In Steam, verify the integrity of FO4VR's game files. (Check Steam's help pages to learn how.)

2.2 Software requirements up ▲

Warning

You should install FO4VR into the right directory. Read this section carefully!

  • Windows 11 (v23H2) required
    I use Linux for everything, including gaming, but for VR gaming it's just not a good choice as of 2024.
    • Note: Windows 10 might be fine as well, but I haven't tested it.
  • SteamVR (v2.5.5) required
  • Fallout 4 VR (v1.2.72.0.1) required
    • Do not install FO4VR in or below C:\Program Files (x86)\. Doing so may result in specific mods/tools unexpectedly failing, because Windows doesn't like it when software changes things in Program Files (x86).
    • If you're fine with not putting FO4VR on your C:\ drive, install FO4VR on another drive as explained on Steam's help pages. For performance reasons, you should prefer installing on an SSD.
    • If you don't want to or cannot put FO4VR on another drive, note that Steam supports only a single library per drive. Therefore, your only options are:
    • Personally, I chose to move my single Steam library to C:\Users\[username]\Steam\.
    • No, there is no simpler way. Yes, this is required.
  • Fallout 4 with all DLC (v1.10.163) recommended More information in Section 2.3, including instructions for dealing with the next-gen patch.
  • Mod Organizer 2 (v2.5.0) required
    • Use the .exe installer.
    • For performance reasons, you should prefer installing on an SSD.
    • Install MO2 in a place where you don't need admin rights to access it. For example, install it somewhere in your home directory. Personally, I went for C:\Users\[username]\MO2\.
    • When launching for the first time, you will be asked to create an instance.
      • You can create a global or a portable instance. It doesn't really matter which you choose.
      • Enable profile-specific INIs.
      • Disable profile-specific saves.
        • Note: You can choose to use profile-specific saves if you prefer to keep saves from different profiles separate. However, profile-specific saves are not synced by Steam Cloud.
  • Visual C++ Redistributable (direct link) required
  • 7-Zip required

2.3 Using DLC in FO4VR up ▲

FO4VR does not include the DLC, which sucks. Luckily, if you have non-VR FO4, you can just partially downgrade non-VR FO4, copy the DLC files into your FO4VR installation, and install a few compatibility patches (included in the mod list). If you don't have non-VR FO4 with DLC, and don't want to buy it, you can safely skip the steps that require DLC.

First, copy non-VR FO4's DLC into FO4VR,

  1. go to the [fo4_dir]\Data\ directory,
  2. select all files that start with DLC, except those that start with DLCUltraHighResolution, and
  3. copy those files to [fo4vr_dir]\Data\.

Tip

If you don't have non-VR FO4 installed, and only want to download the files you need for this guide, open the Steam Console as explained below, and run the following commands.

Click here to view the list of commands. 
download_depot 377160 490650 4873048792354485093

download_depot 377160 393895 7677765994120765493

download_depot 377160 480631 6588493486198824788

download_depot 377160 393885 5000262035721758737

download_depot 377160 480630 5527412439359349504

download_depot 377160 435881 1207717296920736193

download_depot 377160 435882 8482181819175811242

Since non-VR FO4's next-gen update, various DLCs are no longer compatible with FO4VR. Luckily, you can still get the old versions of those DLCs using the Steam Console. You will download those, and then overwrite the files you copied earlier.

  1. Open the Steam Console. You can open the Steam Console directly by
    • visiting steam://open/console in your browser, or
    • pressing ⊞ Win + R, writing steam://open/console, and pressing Enter, or
    • checking this guide.
  2. In the Steam Console, run the following three commands to download the old DLC files: 
    download_depot 377160 435870 1691678129192680960

    download_depot 377160 435871 5106118861901111234

    download_depot 377160 435880 1255562923187931216
  3. After each command, the console will say Depot download complete : "[path]" ([number] files, manifest [id]). After each command, go to this [path] in File Explorer, and copy the Data directory into [fo4vr_dir], overwriting files when prompted.
  4. In MO2, on the right-hand side, go to the tab "Plugins", find the .esm files at the top of the list, and make sure all .esm files are enabled using the respective checkboxes. If the esm files do not appear, you might need to navigate to the "Data" tab and click "Refresh".

3 Configuration top ▲

You should now have the required software. Before you install mods, there's some settings to tweak. These settings relate to stability, visual quality, performance, and general gameplay.

We start by navigating a few settings menus (Section 3.1) and then we do some more detailed adjustments using INI configuration (Section 3.2).

3.1 Basic configuration up ▲

  1. Steam
    Go to the settings for Fallout 4 VR. Go to "General" and disable "Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game".
    (If you cannot disable this option, you disabled it globally, which is fine too.)
  2. Windows Explorer
    Navigate to [fo4vr_dir], right-click Fallout4VR.exe, and click "Properties". Go to "Compatibility" and enable "Disable full-screen optimisations".
  3. FO4VR
    While in-game in VR, in FO4VR's main menu, go to "Settings" and apply the following settings.

    1. Gameplay

      Setting Value Tag
      Difficulty Survival optional

    2. Display

      Setting Value Tag
      Floating markers Off optional

    3. VR
      I expect the game to work fine if you change the optional settings, but haven't tested that.

      Setting Value Tag
      Direct movement On optional
      Pip-Boy location Projected required
      Comfort vignette while moving Off optional
      Comfort vignette while turning Off optional
      Rotation type Smooth optional

    4. Performance

      Setting Value Tag
      Anti-aliasing TAA required
      Anisotropic filtering 16 required
      Character lighting Off required

3.2 INI configuration up ▲

INI files contain extra game settings that are not found in the game's menus.

To edit these settings,

  1. shut down FO4VR if it's running,
  2. open MO2,
  3. in the main menu, click "Tools", then "Tool Plugins", and then "INI Editor", and
  4. select the tab fallout4custom.ini.

This section covers how INI files work (Section 3.2.1), a collection of INI settings you should add (Section 3.2.2), and external links to additional INI settings (Section 3.2.3).

3.2.1 How do INI files work? up ▲

Take a look at the tab fallout4.ini to get a feel of what an INI looks like.

INI files obey the following rules.

  • An INI file is divided into sections, indicated by square brackets. For example, the line [Display] starts a section with display settings. A section ends when a new section starts.
  • After starting a section you can set variables, one on each line. A variable has a name and a value, separated by an equals sign. For example, fItemRotationSpeed=0.4 changes the variable fItemRotationSpeed to have value 0.4.
  • The names of sections and variables are important. You cannot choose your own names.
  • Variables should be in the correct section. Putting a variable in the wrong section has no effect.
  • If you have multiple lines setting the same variable, only the first assignment is used.
  • You cannot split up a section. If you start section [Display], then start section [VR], and then again start section [Display], the settings in the second [Display] section are ignored.

3.2.2 INI settings you should add up ▲

Important

The following changes should go into fallout4custom.ini, which must be edited in MO2. [!IMPORTANT] Make sure each section/variable occurs at most once.

Combined non-optional settings
The block below combines all non-optional INI settings from this section. You can copy-paste it directly into your fallout4custom.ini file. You don't need to keep the old contents, just overwrite it with the block below.

[General]
sLocalSavePath=__MO_Saves\
bUseMyGamesDirectory=1
[Archive]
sResourceDataDirsFinal=
bInvalidateOlderFiles=1
sResourceStartUpArchiveList=Fallout4 - Startup.ba2, Fallout4 - Shaders.ba2, Fallout4 - Interface.ba2, Fallout4_VR - Shaders.ba2
sResourceIndexFileList=Fallout4 - Textures1.ba2, Fallout4 - Textures2.ba2, Fallout4 - Textures3.ba2, Fallout4 - Textures4.ba2, Fallout4 - Textures5.ba2, Fallout4 - Textures6.ba2, Fallout4 - Textures7.ba2, Fallout4 - Textures8.ba2, Fallout4 - Textures9.ba2, Fallout4_VR - Main.ba2, Fallout4_VR - Textures.ba2
[VRDisplay]
fRenderTargetSizeMultiplier=1.0
[HairLighting]
fHairPrimSpecPow=2.0
fHairPrimSpecScale=0.01
fHairPrimSpecShift=0.26
fHairSecSpecScale=0.01
fHairSecSpecPow=2.0
fHairSecSpecShift=0.26
[Display]
fTAAPostSharpen=0.675
fTAASharpen=1.0000
fTAAHighFreq=0.8000
fTAALowFreq=0.5000
fTAAPostOverlay=0.675
uPipboyTargetHeight=1400
uPipboyTargetWidth=1752
[VRUI]
iVRUIRenderTargetHeight=4096
iVRUIRenderTargetWidth=4096
[Controls]
fSprintStopDirectionThresholdDegrees=360.0000
[Workshop]
fItemRotationSpeed=0.4
[VR]
fSwimSpeedScalar=1.2500
fVrSwimDragCoefficient=0.0500
fVrSwimHMDFloatThreshold=0.7200
bVrSwimDeliberateResurface=1
[Menu]
iConsoleSizeScreenPercent=80
iConsoleTextSize=40

Default MO2 settings required

[General]
sLocalSavePath=__MO_Saves\
bUseMyGamesDirectory=1

Ensure mods load correctly required

[Archive]
sResourceDataDirsFinal=
bInvalidateOlderFiles=1
sResourceStartUpArchiveList=Fallout4 - Startup.ba2, Fallout4 - Shaders.ba2, Fallout4 - Interface.ba2, Fallout4_VR - Shaders.ba2
sResourceIndexFileList=Fallout4 - Textures1.ba2, Fallout4 - Textures2.ba2, Fallout4 - Textures3.ba2, Fallout4 - Textures4.ba2, Fallout4 - Textures5.ba2, Fallout4 - Textures6.ba2, Fallout4 - Textures7.ba2, Fallout4 - Textures8.ba2, Fallout4 - Textures9.ba2, Fallout4_VR - Main.ba2, Fallout4_VR - Textures.ba2

Disable in-game supersampling required
To enable supersampling, use the SteamVR settings.

[VRDisplay]
fRenderTargetSizeMultiplier=1.0

Fix glowing hair required
Fixes a bug where hair appears with the wrong colour or glows in the dark.

[HairLighting]
fHairPrimSpecPow=2.0
fHairPrimSpecScale=0.01
fHairPrimSpecShift=0.26
fHairSecSpecScale=0.01
fHairSecSpecPow=2.0
fHairSecSpecShift=0.26

Improve TAA performance/quality trade-off recommended
Most other FO4VR guides recommend these same values.

[Display]
fTAAPostSharpen=0.675
fTAASharpen=1.0000
fTAAHighFreq=0.8000
fTAALowFreq=0.5000
fTAAPostOverlay=0.675

Increase Pip-Boy rendering quality recommended

[Display]
uPipboyTargetHeight=1400
uPipboyTargetWidth=1752

Increase UI rendering quality recommended

[VRUI]
iVRUIRenderTargetHeight=4096
iVRUIRenderTargetWidth=4096

Allow sprinting regardless of head orientation recommended

[Controls]
fSprintStopDirectionThresholdDegrees=360.0000

Increase item rotation speed in workshop mode recommended

[Workshop]
fItemRotationSpeed=0.4

Make swimming slightly easier recommended

[VR]
fSwimSpeedScalar=1.2500
fVrSwimDragCoefficient=0.0500
fVrSwimHMDFloatThreshold=0.7200
bVrSwimDeliberateResurface=1

Increase dev console legibility recommended

[Menu]
iConsoleSizeScreenPercent=80
iConsoleTextSize=40

Set move direction relative to headset instead of controller optional

[VRInput]
bUseWandDirectionalMovement=0

Disable in-game tutorial notifications optional

[Interface]
bShowTutorials=0

3.2.3 Additional INI settings up ▲

Above are the INI settings that I used. There's many more settings you can tweak. Here's a bunch of other resources that may be useful for you.

4 List of mods top ▲

Note

Make sure you know what the abbreviations mean and understand the relevance of version numbers.

Tip

Use the hamburger menu (≡) in the top-right corner to easily navigate between sections.

4.1 External libraries up ▲

First of all, here's a few required mods/tools. These are essentially toolkits that directly alter the game engine, and are required by many other mods.

Important

These mods should be installed manually. They should not be installed with MO2.

Important

These mods should be installed into [fo4vr_dir], not into [fo4vr_dir]\Data\.

  1. F4SEVR (v0.6.20) required
    This is a framework that allows modders to write custom scripts. Many other mods require this.

    • Installation instructions:

      1. Go to the F4SE website, find the "Fallout 4 VR runtime", and click "7z archive".
      2. Use 7-Zip to extract the downloaded file into [fo4vr_dir].
      3. If you did this correctly, you should have the file f4sevr_1_2_72.dll in the same directory as Fallout4VR.exe. If this is not the case, you probably created the directory [fo4vr_dir]\f4sevr_0_6_20\, and you should copy the contents of that directory into [fo4vr_dir].

    • Post-installation instructions:
      Always launch F4SEVR, and always launch through MO2. Do not launch through Steam. Otherwise, your mods will not load.

      The following steps will tell MO2 how to launch F4SEVR.

      1. In MO2, in the main menu, click "Tools" and then "Executables",
      2. in the list on the left, select "Fallout 4 VR",
      3. above the list on the left, click the plus icon, and choose "Clone selected",
      4. on the right, change "Title" to "F4SEVR",
      5. on the right, in "Binary", replace Fallout4VR.exe with f4sevr_loader.exe, and
      6. in the bottom-right, click "OK" to close the dialog,

      To launch F4SEVR (and thus the game) from MO2, click the dropdown menu with "Fallout 4 VR" and select "F4SEVR". Then simply press "Run".

  2. fo4vr_improvements (vcas_v2) required
    Improves some filters and shaders specifically for VR, and fixes issues the game has with some controllers.
    • Note: Do not install this mod if you use WMR or Vive Wand controllers.
    • Installation instructions:
      1. Go to the mod's releases page, and download the file fo4vr_contrast_adaptive_sharpening_v2.7z.
      2. Use 7-Zip to extract the downloaded file into [fo4vr_dir]. When prompted, choose to overwrite existing files.
      3. If you did this correctly, you should have the file fo4_openvr.cfg in the same directory as Fallout4VR.exe.
    • Note: If you verify the integrity of your game files in Steam, Steam will (partially) overwrite this mod, and you will have to re-install this mod.
  3. vrperfkit (v0.3) required
    Enables upscaling and foveated rendering, which improves performance by a lot.
    • Installation instructions:
      1. Go to the mod's releases page, and download the file vrperfkit_v0.3.zip.
      2. Extract the downloaded file into [fo4vr_dir]. When prompted, choose to overwrite existing files.
      3. If you did this correctly, you should have the file vrperfkit.yml in the same directory as Fallout4VR.exe.
      4. ⚠️ After installing, find the file vrperfkit.yml, open it with Notepad, and change method: cas to method: fsr. (If you skip this step, you'll probably get a black screen inside your headset.)
    • Note: If you verify the integrity of your game files in Steam, Steam will (partially) overwrite this mod, and you will have to re-install this mod.
    • Untested alternative: Fallout4 Upscaler VR
  4. xSE PluginPreloader F4 (v0.2.5.1) required
    Will pre-load F4SEVR scripts before loading a save (and is required for Buffout 4 NG with PDB support).
    • Installation instructions:
      1. Go to the NexusMods page.
      2. Go to "Files", click "Manual download", and again click "Download".
      3. Extract the downloaded file into [fo4vr_dir].
      4. If you did this correctly, you should have the file IpHlpAPI.dll in the same directory as Fallout4VR.exe.
  5. Binaural 3D Surround Sound for Headphones - HRTF (v2.4) recommended
    Adds binaural sound, allowing you to more accurately pinpoint the source of a sound. The difference is quite subtle (people who often game headphones may not notice the difference), but for some people it makes a big difference in immersion.
    • Installation instructions:
      1. Go to the NexusMods page.
      2. Go to "Files", click "Manual download" at the main file, and again click "Download".
      3. Extract the downloaded file into [fo4vr_dir].
      4. If you did this correctly, you should have the file x3daudio1_7.dll in the same directory as Fallout4VR.exe.

Note

From now on, all listed mods should be downloaded and installed through MO2.

4.2 Libraries up ▲

These mods provide utilities used in other mods. These do not affect your game directly, but are required by many other mods.

  1. Address Library for F4SE Plugins (v1.10.163.0) required
  2. VR Address Library for F4SEVR (v1.7.0) required
  3. Fallout4 VR Tools (v0.1) required

4.3 Stability and Patches up ▲

These mods fix bugs, either in the base game or in other mods.

  1. Fallout 4 Version Check Patcher (v1.00) required
    As explained in the introduction, most mods will be created for the wrong game version. The game warns you of this in the main menu. This mod disables those warnings, because they're annoying and there's not a whole lot you can do about it anyway.
  2. Unofficial Fallout 4 Patch - UFO4P (v2.1.5) recommended
    Fixes a bunch of bugs, big and small, in the base game and add-ons. UFO4P's authors do not officially support VR, but overall the pros outweigh the cons.
    • Requires: all DLC
    • Important: Download this mod, but keep it deactivated in MO2 for now.
    • Note: Do not use newer versions of UFO4P. Versions newer than v2.1.5 do not work with FO4VR.
    • Note: Some users report that UFO4P soft locks the DLC (especially with FO4FH). I have not experienced these bugs myself, and have not received such bug reports for this mod list specifically. Some people have strong opinions about UFO4P, so I'll leave the choice whether to install this one up to you. Either way, note that UFO4P (like many complex mods) should not be removed from your save after having used them.
    • Patch: VR weapon and armor keyword crash patch (v2.1.5-1.0.5)
  3. DLCVR - Fallout 4 VR and DLC standalone bug fixes (v1.0.4) required
    Fixes issues specific to FO4FH and FO4NW, relating to invisible floors and so on.
    • Requires: FO4FH or FO4NW
    • Variant: depends on your DLC
  4. Edmond's Automatron VR Workbench Rebuild (v1.0) required
    Re-implements parts of FO4AU that did not work in VR. Some parts of FO4AU are still broken even with this mod.
    • Requires: FO4AU and FO4NW
    • Variant: "No wild edits"
  5. Buffout 4 (v1.28.6) required Fixes engine bugs and adds a crash logger.
  6. Buffout 4 NG with PDB support (v1.31.1) required Similar to above but for VR, and also enables achievements even when using mods.
    • Note: You can ignore the listed dependencies.
  7. Multiple Floors Sandboxing (v1.0) recommended
    In locations with multiple storeys, NPCs walk only on the ground storey. This mod fixes that behaviour so NPCs walk on all storeys.
  8. No Aggro Impact Landing (Power Armor) (v1.0) recommended
    If you wear power armour and fall from a height, you will create a shock wave that damages NPCs around you. Friendly NPCs damaged this way may become hostile, even if you do so by accident. This mod ensures that you do not accidentally turn friendly NPCs hostile this way.
  9. Bird Fix (v1) required
    Fixes a bug where birds are always flying into buildings for some reason.
    • Note: You can ignore the listed dependencies.
  10. Radio Reverb Fix (v1) optional
    Applies reverb to your radio when applicable.
    • Variant: "Subtle" or main file

4.4 Performance up ▲

FO4VR is notorious for having sub-par performance. The following mods help improve performance. If you notice after some playing that you have high FPS, you can consider disabling these for (arguably) more surrounding more detail around you.

Personally, I eventually disabled these because I preferred higher graphical quality, but they may be useful for you.

  1. Insignificant Object Remover (v1.0) recommended
    • Installer: "Full"
  2. FAR - Faraway Area Reform (v1.2) recommended
    • Variant: "Default Resolution"

4.5 Graphics up ▲

  1. Burst Impact Blast FX (v9.51 + v0.952) recommended
    • Requires: FO4AU and FO4FH and FO4NW
    • Variant: main file and "BIB-FX Fixed Bloatfly's too-large effect"
    • Installer: Choose whatever. If you're lazy, just spam "Next".
  2. Visible Galaxy 4k and Framework (v1.0) required
    • Variant: "Visible Galaxy"
    • Note: Required only because it's required by the mod below.
  3. Fallout 4 HD Overhaul 2k (v1.0 / v1.01) required
    FO4VR's default textures are too ugly for VR, and the high-resolution texture pack is (supposedly) too VRAM-consuming. This texture pack provides a nice balance.
    • Variant: All files in section "Main files"
    • Note: You can safely download files for which you do not own the required DLC
  4. Vivid Fallout - All in One (v1.9) recommended
    Adds even nicer textures, but may have some performance impact.
    • Variant: "Best choice"
  5. Water Enhanced (v1) recommended
    Improves water textures.
    • Variant: "2K Water"
  6. Detailed Feral Ghouls (v3.1) recommended
    • Variant: "Better Performance - Non ESP Version"
  7. Classic Ghouls Redux (v1) optional
    Changes (non-feral) ghoul textures to look more like ghouls from Fallout 3.

4.6 Lighting up ▲

By default, the world looks really overexposed, which makes the outside like outright ugly. I used a combination of mods recommended by dropadred, as described in this thread.

  1. Darker Nights (v1.11p6) recommended
    • Variant: main file and "No Glow Fix for Far Harbor DLC"
    • Installer:
      1. Darkness level: Darkest
      2. Misc: None
      3. Merged DLC patches: depends on your DLC
      4. Merged overhaul patches: None
      5. Standalone patches: None
      6. Detection: Automatic
      7. Night vision: Vanilla
  2. PhyLight (v1.1) required
    • Variant: "PhyDark (164)" and "No Interior Dust or Fog"
  3. Vanilla Eye Adaptation Fix - All DLC (v1.1) required
    • Requires: all DLC
    • Variant: version 1.1
  4. Fr4nsson's Light Tweaks (v1.6) required
    • Variant: "plus Bloom Remover"
  5. Interiors Enhanced - Darker Ambient Light and Fog (v2.0) required
    • Variant: depends on your DLC

4.7 Sound up ▲

The sound is actually fine in VR. However, it doesn't hurt to improve sound effects for VR, and to add more high-quality music.

  1. Faded Glory - A Post-Apocalyptic Soundscape (v5-1) optional
  2. Fallout Suite - Soundtrack Extension (v1.1) optional
  3. Bleak Beauty - A Fallout 4 Fan Made OST (v1.2) optional
  4. Musical Lore - Wasteland Edition (Soundtrack Mod By Nir Shor) (v1.6) optional
    Adds new high-quality songs to the game's radio.
  5. Ambient Wasteland - Fallout 4 Edition (v0.1) recommended
    Adds a whole bunch of ambient, distant background sounds to make the world feel more lively.
  6. Project Reality Footsteps FO4 (v1.7) recommended
    Adds more different kinds of footstep sounds.
    • Variant: "BA2"
  7. Not Great Not Terrible - Scarier Geiger Counter Sounds (v1.0) optional
    Replaces Geiger counter sounds to be more intense.
    • Variant: "Quieter Version" or "Main File"

4.8 UI up ▲

The UI in VR is unintuitive to navigate, and the key bindings shown in the UI are usually incorrect. Unfortunately, there are currently no good UI mods for VR. FallUI (v2.2.1) sort of works, but suffers from a variety of bugs in VR, like bad contrast between text and background, menus being too small, and some VR-only menus not being replaced at all. What we're left with is a single UI mod, which actually works fine.

  1. Full Dialog VR (v1.1) recommended
    In conversations, you usually have four response options. The game summarises these using keywords. This is annoying, because your character may say something completely different from what you expected. This mod replaces the keywords with the full line your character will say.

    • Patch: After installing, right-click the mod, click "Open in Explorer", enter the directory interface, and delete the file MultiActivateMenu.swf. This fixes a VR-specific bug where no icons are shown when talking with followers.

  2. Mod Configuration Menu (v1.0.0) optional
    Mods with extra settings can be configured using holotapes. This can be somewhat annoying, because sometimes the game fails to give you those holotapes, or you need to craft them. MCM is an alternative, allowing you to change mod settings in the pause menu.

    • Variant: only "MCM_VR"
    • Note: MCM VR has a few visual glitches in its menus, and some controls require the use of a keyboard, but otherwise MCM works fine.

4.9 Gameplay up ▲

  1. FRIK - Full Player Body with IK (v0.66) required
    Allows you to see your hands. Absolutely required for immersion.
  2. Player Collision Options - nocollide actors (v1.0) required
    Normally, when you get close to an NPC in VR, the game will push you back. This is annoying and disorienting when you want to roleplay or pet your dog. This disables collisions between you and NPCs.
    • Variant: "nocollide actors"
  3. Realistic Death Physics - No Animations (v1.2) recommended
    • Variant: "Vanilla Animations" (even if you have DLC)
  4. PipBoy VR light (v1.1) recommended
    In VR, the default Pip-Boy light (the "flashlight") is just a weak glow around you. I really liked the flashlight in Half-Life: Alyx. This mod changes the shape of the Pip-Boy's light to be like a flashlight, and does so with no performance overhead. I personally chose the small light because I want it to be scary, but you can choose any variant you want.
    • Variant: main file and one optional file. (I chose "Gun style aimed Small Gobo".)
  5. Everyone's Best Friend (v3.0.0) recommended
    Normally you can only have one follower, but Dogmeat really isn't comparable to the depth of the other companions. But Dogmeat is also really cute. This mods lets you have both Dogmeat and any other companion at the same time.
  6. Splinterz - Breakable Wooden Doors (v1.3) optional
    Allows you to break doors. Pretty cool.
    • Variant: depends on your DLC

4.10 Combat up ▲

Combat in VR is a mixed experience. Many parts are fine, but a few important parts are very, very wrong. The following selection of mods is a combination of important fixes and subjective rebalancing.

  1. See-Through-Scopes (v2.5.3) required
    Changes in-game scopes so they are see-through. Required for the next mod.
    • Installer:
      1. Add or replace: Replace
      2. DLC: depends on your DLC (if you have both, also choose "Install and merge both DLCs")
      3. Add-ons: None
      4. Tweaks: None
      5. Do not choose any patches
  2. Better Scopes VR (v0.9) required
    This one is absolutely required. Without this mod, when you look down a scope, your screen turns black and you get a full-screen 2D projection of what you can see through your scope. Absolutely horrible and nauseating. This mod removes that screen, and just lets you look through the actual scope.
    • Variant: main file only, not the optional file.
  3. Bullet Time VATS VR (vb1.1) required
    In vanilla, VATS is a gameplay mechanic that pauses combat and lets you select body parts to target, which you will then automatically shoot at. This sucks in VR, because you don't get to aim the gun and pull the trigger yourself. This mod replaces VATS with bullet time.
  4. Critical Hits Outside of VATS (v1.1.3) required
    The above Bullet Time mod internally works by disabling VATS, and thus (almost) completely removes critical hits from the game. This mod makes it so all hits have a small chance of being a critical hit, even outside of bullet time.
  5. Weapon Accuracy Redone for VR (v1.0) required
    In VR it's super annoying if you're clearly aiming at an enemy and then the game decides the shot didn't hit because of some random die roll. This mod reduces weapon spread and recoil to make accuracy in VR more rewarding.
    • Variant: depends on your DLC
  6. Better Low Health (v1.0) recommended
    Your health bar is visible on the inside of your wrist, but that's also where you're holding your gun, so during combat you typically don't really know how much health you have left. The game shows some visual effects at 20% health left, but that's usually too late. This mod increases that threshold to 50%.
    • Variant: "50"
  7. More Noticeable Hit Effect (v1.0) recommended
    I noticed that during fights I usually had no idea if bullets were flying past me or into me. This mod makes it much more noticeable when you are being hit.
    • Variant: "aMedium"

4.11 Difficulty / Survival up ▲

Fallout 4 is not a difficult game, even at higher difficulties. In VR, it only gets easier. Mods in this category affect the difficulty. Some (but not all) of them assume you play in Survival mode, which I recommend you do anyway.

  1. Survival Options (v1.7.1) recommended
    Allows you to customise your survival mode experience. Lets you re-enable manual saves, configure automatic saves, and change damage multipliers.
  2. Settlement Fast Travel Survival Mod (v1.06) recommended
    Re-enables a restricted form of fast travel. You can use this together with the above mod.
    • Requires: FO4AU and FO4FH and FO4VW and FO4NW
  3. Campsite (v1.0.4) recommended
    Lets you bring a tent with you so you can sleep anywhere.
  4. Loot Logic and Reduction With optional Harvest Restrictions (v1.5.3.1) recommended
    Reduces loot found in containers. Otherwise, you'll quickly find you'll have so much ammo and chems the game just totally isn't challenging anymore.
  5. NPC Loot Drop rebalance (v1.0) recommended
    Reduces loot found on NPCs, in line with the above mod.
  6. Backpacks of the Commonwealth (v1.6.4) recommended
    In survival, you have less carrying capacity and heavier items. These backpacks will come in use.
  7. Dogmeat's Backpack (v2.0) recommended
    As above, but now for your companion.
  8. Dogmeat's Backpacks of the Commonwealth (v1.4) recommended
    Re-balances the above mod to be in line with the one above that.
    • Requires: The two mods above this one.
    • Note: Despite the mod page's instructions, you don't need to overwrite any files. As long as this mod is listed below Dogmeat's Backpack in your list of mods, MO2 will (virtually) overwrite the file for you.
  9. Headshot Damage Multiplier (v1.0) recommended
    In survival, your outgoing damage is reduced and enemy health is increased. Unfortunately, this results in bullet sponge enemies, where you can unload an entire shotgun magazine into someone's face and they somehow survive. In VR, your accuracy is much higher, so I found that combat became more interesting if I rewarded myself for making headshots. The result is a sort of mutual glass cannon situation, where every shot matters.
  10. Variant: "x5"
  11. Radiation Overhaul - 4x More Radiation Across the Wasteland (v1.1) optional
    Makes radiation actually dangerous.

4.12 Settlements up ▲

I think Fallout 4's settlements are very flawed. In VR, they are not necessarily more flawed, so the mods in this section aren't VR-specific. However, several of these mods require VR-specific tweaks. That said, this entire section is recommended, because the VR experience is no worse than the non-VR experience with or without these. If you don't intend to engage with settlements at all, you can skip this section.

Caution

If you install Sim Settlements, you must choose version 4.1.7. Newer versions do not work.

  1. Sim Settlements (v4.1.7) recommended
    Completely changes the way settlements are built. Instead of you building everything, settlers will build and upgrade their own houses in designated locations. I especially like the "leaders" feature, where you can appoint a settlement leader who will oversee the placement of all buildings in the settlement. It just works.
  2. Leaders Of The Commonwealth (v2) recommended
    With basic Sim Settlements, only your followers are leaders. Especially at the start of the game, it's frustrating if your settlements can't grow because you don't have enough leaders for the number of settlements you find. This mod designates several unique settlers from the base game as leaders.
    • Variant: "Vanilla Looks No New npcs".
  3. Salvage Beacons (v1.0.4) optional
    Carrying junk back to your settlement is frankly a waste of time. This lets you drop off your junk and whatnot in any container, then mark that container, and your settlers will take back your loot to your settlement.
  4. IDEK's Logistics Station 2 (v2.1.3) recommended
    I wasn't sure whether to make this recommended or required. In Fallout 4, you can connect your settlements using supply routes, which allows the settlements to share resources. Unfortunately, this feature is super annoying to use, hard to get right, and hard to manage. This mod automates most of that part: You just build one station per settlement, assign a settler, and the mod will handle all the rest. There's also a bunch of other really useful features which improve the stability of your trading routes.
  5. Local Leader Tweaks (v1.0) recommended
    The Local Leader perk is required to unlock some of the most important parts of using settlements. I think that it's stupid that these perks, which cost quite some effort to unlock if you don't run a Charisma build, don't justify their worth in terms of gameplay impact, but are still vital for using settlements. For this reason, I recommend using this mod, which will allow you to do basically everything you can do with Local Leader, except you won't need Local Leader.
    • Variant: main file and "Crafting add-on"

5 Playing the game top ▲

Caution

On the left-hand side of MO2, make sure UFO4P and FRIK remain disabled until you have exited the vault.

Tip

Sort your load order one more time, just to be sure. On the right-hand side of MO2, go to the "Plugins" tab, and click "Sort".

Note

In MO2, in the list of plugins, some plugins will be crossed out (with strikethrough). This is just MO2's weird way of informing you that it's a textures-only plugin. Ignore the strikethrough, and keep the plugin enabled.

You're almost there! You should now have a good selection of mods from the previous selection installed. You should have installed all required mods, probably several recommended mods, and maybe some optional mods.

In this section you will learn about a few quirks of FO4VR and this mod list that you should be aware of (Section 5.1), configure your control scheme (Section 5.2), complete the game's prologue (Section 5.3), and finally configure a few final mods in-game (Section 5.4). After that, I promise you can play at your leisure.

5.1 Issues and solutions up ▲

This section describes some common issues, their solutions, and how to prevent them from happening in the first place.

5.1.1 General up ▲

If FO4VR doesn't start, your mods don't load, or things just don't go the way they should, this is the right place to start. I recommend you check these in the order presented here. Even if something seems unrelated, it's worth a try checking it anyway. After all, if you already knew what the cause of your troubles was, you wouldn't be checking this list.

5.1.2 Launching up ▲

  • Always launch F4SEVR, and should always launch from MO2. Otherwise, your mods will not load.
  • Unplug any controllers/gamepads you don't want to use before launching the game. FO4(VR) does not support multiple controllers at the same time, and gets confused when you try.
  • Start your VR controllers before launching the game. Otherwise, the game won't respond to some buttons, and you'll have to restart.
  • In the main menu, if you choose "Continue" and nothing happens, just press the selection button again. This is necessary because the game is trying to show you a warning that you've removed a mod that the save relies on, but for some reason this warning is invisible in the main menu (but works correctly after loading another save).

5.1.3 Saving up ▲

  • Make sure you manually save regularly. Auto-saves are cool, but if it's all you have, you can't go back very far if you get stuck.
  • Loading a save in which you wear power armour causes temporary issues with FRIK. Your arms will be invisible, and after you exit the power armour, your body will be stretched in weird ways. To resolve the issue, exit the power armour, save your game, return to the main menu, and then load your game again.

5.1.4 Playing up ▲

  • Do not open your Pip-Boy while your flashlight is on. Doing so may cause the game to crash.
  • Swimming sucks ass in VR; you have to stick out your arms in front of you, hold both triggers, and pull your arms towards you, releasing the triggers while your arms are still moving. Unlike in Skyrim VR, you cannot disable this.
  • If your bullets don't fly where you expect them to, there may be several causes.
    1. Ensure you have Weapon Accuracy Redone for VR installed. Otherwise, your bullets will spray in random directions.
    2. FRIK supports holding guns with two hands. Though this is super cool, FRIK currently does not align the weapon correctly. Avoid two-handed mode.
    3. You may (accidentally) have configured weapon offsets in FRIK. You can remove your weapon offset configurations as follows.
      1. Open MO2.
      2. Right-click FRIK.
      3. Click "Open in Explorer".
      4. Enter directory F4SE\Plugins\FRIK_weapon_offsets\FRIK_weapon_offsets\.
      5. Delete all files in this directory.

5.5.5 Modding up ▲

You may be interested in adding mods that aren't listed in this guide. Here's a small list of things to keep in mind if you choose to do so. This list is not complete, and is not foolproof. If things go wrong, I cannot help you.

  • Do not remove mods halfway through.
    If your save relies on a mod, and you remove that mod, anything could happen. Texture-only mods are an exception, but the more complex a mod is, the larger the risk. A crash-to-desktop is the least of your worries; the real problem is when the removal causes a bug that you only encounter dozens of hours later, when it's too late to change your mind. Adding the mod back in almost never helps.
  • Be careful with mods updated or released after November 2019.
  • Be wary of performance and stability.
    FO4VR is a volatile game, and mods can break performance and stability in unexpected ways. Be conservative when choosing to add mods, and find out if other VR users can vouch for the mod before you install it.
  • ENBs don't work.
    ENBs require the creator of the ENB software to create a version specifically for that game. The creator has not created a version for FO4VR, and the one for non-VR FO4 is in no way compatible with FO4VR. (If you try it anyway, you can probably get the ENB configuration interface to work, but you can't get the visual effects to work.)
  • Avoid AWKCR.
    AWKCR was a useful workaround for an issue that existed years ago, but that issue has been fixed by Bethesda even before FO4VR was released. Nowadays, AWKCR is mostly bad for your performance, and it's the kind of mod that cannot be removed from a save.

5.2 Configure controls up ▲

Note

This section applies to Valve Index controllers only.

With the game running, with your headset on, open the SteamVR overlay. Select "Controller bindings", select "Choose another", and select "Fallout VR Essential Bindings". Unfortunately, even after configuring your controls, button prompts in the game will not show correctly. You'll have to learn the buttons by heart. This is mostly a case of trial and error.

5.3 Completing the prologue up ▲

You can complete the prologue normally, though the experience can be somewhat buggy. Here's a small list of troubleshooting tips.

  • You can skip the prologue in its entirety using SKK Fast Start new game (v020).
  • If your gun aim is completely wrong, just use the baton for now. Aiming will be better once you've activated FRIK, after the prologue.
  • If the game crashes when you take the elevator to leave the vault, you didn't disable UFO4P. Exit the game, disable UFO4P, and start a new game. (Do not reuse your existing save, that's dangerous.)

5.4 Configure mods up ▲

Now that you've finished the prologue, it's time to configure a few final mods.

5.4.1 Backpacks of the Commonwealth up ▲

As soon as you exit Vault 111, you'll receive a magazine from Backpacks of the Commonwealth. After that, you'll also be prompted to enter the spawn rate. Enter the recommended rate of 0%.

5.4.2 UFO4P and FRIK up ▲

Warning

Make sure UFO4P and FRIK remain disabled until you have exited the vault.

Exit the game completely (which creates an exit save, which can be loaded only once), enable UFO4P and FRIK in MO2, re-sort your mods, then re-launch the game, and load your exit save.

Open your inventory, go to Misc, and use the holotape "FRIK Configuration". Apply the following settings. You will need to re-open the holotape several times.

  1. Stand up straight, relaxed, hands by your side. Select "CALIBRATE".
  2. Select "Toggle Arms Only Mode!".
  3. Select "Save Body Position to INI". (This also saves your "arms only" setting.)

5.4.3 Survival Options up ▲

Note

You can skip these settings if you don't play on survival difficulty.

Find a chemistry station and craft the holotape "[Settings] Survival Options Holotape", found under "Utility". (You can find a chemistry station in Sanctuary Hills.) (Or, if you have MCM VR, configure the mod there.) Next, open your inventory, go to Misc, and use the holotape you crafted. Apply the following settings.

Category Option Value
Combat Options Incoming Damage Multiplier 3.0
Outgoing Damage Multiplier 1.0
Save Options > Cell Change Save Options Toggle Current:On
Change To Current:Autosave
Save Options > Timed Save Options Toggle Current:On
Change To Current:Autosave
Interval 7 Minutes
Save Options > Level Up Save Options Toggle Current:On
Change To Current:Autosave

Finally, if you are doing a survival playthrough, in the same holotape, under the "Save Options" menu, select "Give Save Item". This will add a "Save Item" to your inventory, to be found under Aid. Favourite the item and put it on your favourite wheel so you can save whenever you want.

5.4.4 Bullet Time VATS VR up ▲

Find a chemistry station and craft the holotape "[Settings - Bullet Time VATS]". (You can find a chemistry station in Sanctuary Hills.) (Or, if you have MCM VR, configure the mod there.) Open your inventory, go to Misc, and use the holotape you crafted. Apply the following settings.

Option Value
Time Dilation 50%
Movement Settings Menu > "In Bullet Time V.A.T.S." use DIRECT MOVE

5.4.5 Campsite up ▲

To activate Campsite, you'll need to find a book somewhere in Sanctuary. Once you've found the book, you'll be able to craft camping items at any chemistry workbench.

5.4.6 Sim Settlements up ▲

Sim Settlements can only be configured after you've played the game a bit. Specifically, you'll need to reach the Museum of Freedom, which is one of the earlier storyline locations anyway. Inside, you can find the Sim Settlements holotape.

After having picked up the holotape, open your inventory, go to Misc, and use the holotape "City Manager 2078 Holotape". Answer the questions to configure Sim Settlements. (If the prompt becomes invisible, just skip through it. The actions below will override those choices.)

After having answered these questions, use the holotape again, and select the following options.

  1. ASAM Sensor Info
  2. Tools > Configuration Tools > Configuration Wizard
  3. Tools > Configuration Tools > Performance Wizard

How to create a settlement

  1. Build a City Planner's Desk (found under "Crafting").
  2. Select the City Plan blueprint on top of the City Planner's Desk and assign a leader. If no leaders are available, you'll have to continue playing the game until you find more. All followers can be leaders, in addition to all NPCs listed in this mod.
  3. After assigning a leader, a cutscene starts during which your camera will fly around the settlement. All items in the settlement will be scrapped, and a new foundation will be built. Wait until the camera stops flying around.
  4. Build a Logistics Desk (found under "Special").
  5. Wait until you have at least three settlers in that settlement. (Otherwise your leader will override your assignment in the next step.)
  6. Assign a settler to the Logistics Desk.
  7. Build a Logistics Locker (found under "Special" after configuring IDEK's Logistics Station 2).

Optionally, using the City Planner's Desk (aim to the left of the City Plan blueprint), craft a Packed City Planner's Desk (found under "Tools") and, using a Chemistry Station, craft a Packed Logistics Desk (found under "Utility"), so you can quickly set up new settlements whenever you find one.

Note

You can disable or skip the cutscene that plays when the settlement is initialising. However, you then run the risk of breaking the script if you leave the settlement before the script is finished. If the cutscene makes you nauseous, I recommend simply taking off your headset and checking your monitor when it's done.

5.4.7 IDEK's Logistics Station 2 up ▲

The essential parts of this mod require zero configuration. However, if you want to easily move items between settlements, you'll need to tell this mod what your main settlement is. (Don't worry, you can always easily and safely choose a new main settlement.)

  1. Go to your main settlement.
  2. Build a Logistics Desk.
  3. Interact with the Logistics Desk. (The desk itself, not the terminal on top of it).
  4. Select "Set Up Locker".
  5. Read the popup message and select "OK".
  6. Go to any workbench or container in this settlement, and transfer the Logistics Storage Designator into the storage of your settlement.
  7. Read the popup message and select "Yes, keep my stuff safe!"
  8. In any other settlement(s), build a Logistics Locker (found under "Special").

From now on, to move items between settlements, simply interact with a Logistics Locker.

6 Conclusion top ▲

That's it! I hope this guide was useful for you :-)

If you don't understand something, experience in-game issues, have suggestions, or just need some help, check out the Discussions page or open an issue.

7 Acknowledgements top ▲

I want to thank everyone who contributed something to my FO4VR guide, no matter the size of that contribution.

In chronological order of contribution:

If I should add, remove, or change anything here, just open an issue or email me!

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